Walker gives boom teen a schooling in a game of two Palm Beach halves

In Wayne's World, Tom Dearden is not and never will be another Allan Langer.

It's a shadow too big for any Bronco, any player to emerge from according to the supercoach, who sneered at comparisons during the week. But Brisbane's teenage whiz will have Langer standing in his own shadow.

Baptism of fire: Teenage Brisbane halfback Tom Dearden looks to set up a support player on Thursday night.Credit:NRL Photos

Pointing and posturing, talking and tutoring. That famous blue shirt for one of the Maroons' favourite sons trailing the 18-year-old with the NRL world at his feet, and perhaps the weight of the NRL world on his young shoulders.

Dearden will never forget his top-grade debut, even if Broncos fans would hope to forget a 38-6 shellacking at the hands of Bennett's bubbling Bunnies – equalling South Sydney's biggest win over Brisbane – in the first game between the clubs since that coaching swap.

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He won't forget it least of all because Queensland's greatest No.7 stood at his shoulder for much of it.

Langer has made a career after his own career from lurking behind Brisbane players in a trainer's shirt, offering rugby league intellect only he can. Several times on Thursday night, Dearden got a chance to pick that famous halfback's brain.

What he heard from Langer on Thursday – and in the days afterwards – might be even more important than what he heard in the middle of ANZ Stadium, which turned into a goanna's playground for 80 minutes in a series of Greg Inglis tributes.

Two hours before kick-off you would be forgiven for thinking it was Dearden's high school playground, which of course was where he was last year.

He was playing a game of hot potato with a few of his Brisbane buddies in the middle including James Roberts, his hands and head just that shade faster than those who he was mucking around with.

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It doesn't count for much when 114kg Junior Tatola is charging at you with one of your first touches in the NRL. Dearden copped his medicine and got back up. In the second half, he ducked under a shot from George Burgess and kept going.

For the remarkable circumstances in which Dearden debuted – the Broncos giving regular No.7 Kodi Nikorima time away to ponder his future as he prepares to link with the Warriors – it was an unremarkable NRL bow.

If we're talking halves, this was all about another Palm Beach Currumbin State High old boy. Rabbitohs No.6 Cody Walker is probably as close as an inch – and maybe as far as a mile – away from a first NSW State of Origin jersey.

He scored twice in the first half and celebrated with Inglis' trademark goanna crawl before putting another on a platter for Kyle Turner when James Roberts crabbed inside, perhaps being a little overprotective of Dearden defending next to him.

Walker waited an eternity for his NRL shot and now is one of the competition's best, Dearden has just shed his backpack and is already butting heads with the Burgii.

Dearden finished with almost as many tackles (24) as passes (28) – never a good sign for a halfback – and a healthy serving of the show-and-go made famous by Johnathan Thurston, who once gave away his headgear to a young blond-haired kid who idolised him.

Thurston knows better than most the scrutiny on young playmakers. It was only 50 days ago Dearden wasn't able to legally drink, yet now he wakes up with the sobering reality of wearing the most-pressured jumper in the NRL.

He'll have to help try to lift the competition giant out of an early-season slumber with just two wins from eight matches under Bennett's successor Anthony Seibold, Nikorima potentially gone by the end of the week and definitely by the end of the year.

NSW coach Brad Fittler sat on the sideline in commentary. He had his best chance yet to cast an eye over a trio of Broncos forwards chasing State of Origin selection in Matt Lodge, Payne Haas and Tevita Pangai jnr.

He has shown he prefers not to pick his men from teams struggling or players squabbling over contracts. That in itself will almost rule a line through the Broncos' brutes, but you never know with Fittler.

He's preparing to coach against a Queensland team who doesn't know who their halfback will be next month.